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From one of the first team meetings he held at Melwood he set about trying to change the mindset of the players he inherited. He believed this was a group with big potential which was weighed down by pressure and expectation.

Klopp wrote the word ‘terrible’ in block capitals on the board before explaining that this was how opponents would feel after going toe to toe with his side for 90 minutes.

This would be achieved by running harder and faster than the opposition, by pressing relentlessly to win back possession and then hitting teams with pace and quality going forward. He eulogised about the individual talent sat in front of him.

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Priding himself on the team ethic and a sense of unity and togetherness, he brought in new rules about eating together and reinforced that Melwood was a place of work, not for hangers-on.

Time off was reduced as training became much more intensive. Players were told they needed to know the name of every employee at Melwood from Carol in the canteen to Kenny on the gate.

Initially, progress on the field wasn’t straightforward. There were some cherished scalps like the 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge and the 4-1 demolition of Manchester City at the Etihad, but Liverpool were dogged by inconsistency in the Premier League.

Klopp’s mission to put things right on the training ground with his trusted assistants Peter Krawietz and Zeljko Buvac was hampered by a gruelling schedule as the Reds competed on four fronts. A crippling injury list also took its toll.

An expected push for the top four failed to materialise but in the cups Liverpool found a way to win.

Klopp proved a master at getting more out of players who had previously struggled to deliver as the likes of Dejan Lovren, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Divock Origi blossomed.

His commitment to youth development was also evident as the likes of Sheyi Ojo, Kevin Stewart and Cameron Brannagan made the step up.

There was penalty heartache against Manchester City in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley, but in the Europa League they marched on towards Basel as Klopp showcased his tactical acumen.

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If dumping out arch rivals Manchester United was sweet then what followed against his former club Borussia Dortmund was nothing short of miraculous.

Trailing 4-2 on aggregate with 24 minutes to go at Anfield, Liverpool launched the most unlikely of fightbacks - completed by Lovren nodding home the last-ditch winner.

“The Kop created the best half an hour I’ve ever had in football,” Klopp said.

Harnessing that powerful support has been crucial. Klopp chastised fans for leaving early during a lame home defeat to Crystal Palace last November, insisting: “I felt pretty alone....we decide when it’s over.”

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Anfield had become far too welcoming, too defeatist, but Klopp put a stop to that. The fortress is being rebuilt.

It was a bearpit for the semi-final visit of Villarreal – the Spaniards petrified and Liverpool energised as a 3-0 triumph fired them to a first European final since 2007.

Amid Basel blow, Klopp was still rebuilding

On the cusp of glory and a return to the riches of the Champions League, the wheels came off. The Reds’ second-half capitulation against Sevilla at St Jakob-Park was the most bitter of pills to swallow.

But amidst the wreckage of that night Klopp set about lifting chins off the floor. He insisted the planned party at the team hotel went ahead and delivered a rousing speech.

“This is just the start for us,” he told his players. “We will play in many more finals.” The Reds boss then broke into a rousing rendition of the Kop chant ‘We Are Liverpool’.

It was classic Klopp. Providing leadership and lifting the mood before the Reds went their separate ways.

His initial impact had been such that senior FSG executives agreed back in January that they needed to get him tied down to a new deal in order to prevent unwanted interest from elsewhere and in July he penned a six-year contract.

With Klopp and Liverpool already looking like a match made in heaven, this was a case of them renewing their vows.

Klopp's influence permeates throughout the club

In the summer Klopp proved that behind the grin there is a steely ruthless streak as he conducted a major overhaul of the playing staff. Mamadou Sakho discovered to his cost that if you step out of line you pay the price.

Where previously there had been murmurings of discontent about the workings of the transfer committee, these days there’s no doubt who is running the show when it comes to recruitment.

Klopp’s influence permeates throughout the club and the benefit of granting him that kind of authority is clear for all to see.

He scoffed at the extravagant spending of rivals like Man City and United. “I want to do it differently,” Klopp said. This is a manager who develops world-class talent rather than buys the finished article.

New fitness coach Andreas Kornmayer and nutritionist Mona Nemmer played their part during a punishing pre-season designed to ensure the Reds could deliver the “full throttle” attacking football Klopp demands.

This is a team which has evolved. A team in which everyone knows their role and what’s expected of them.

They no longer buckle when the chips are down. Klopp has fashioned them in his own image with a resilience and a never-say-die spirit which can dig them out of a hole.

No longer is there an unhealthy reliance on any one individual with an array of match-winners coming to the fore.

At the helm is a self-deprecating character who has breathed new life into the five-times European champions.

Klopp has been everything Liverpool thought they were getting 12 months ago and more.